Even with the arrival of a new year, Scottie Scheffler resumed his strong performance seamlessly. Having been sidelined from the previous American Express tournament because of a hand ailment incurred late in the off-season, the top-ranked golfer globally made his way back to Palm Springs, California, aiming for an unblemished season kick-off, which he achieved.
Scheffler commenced play by posting a 63, nine strokes under par, at La Quinta Country Club, placing himself just a single shot behind Min Woo Lee and Pierceson Coody, each of whom recorded 62s, ten strokes under par, at the Nicklaus Tournament Course. This 63 marks Scheffler’s best-ever round at the American Express, where he is pursuing his inaugural victory in his sixth entry.
Scheffler commented that players must mentally prepare to score birdies and stressed the importance of consistently positioning oneself to have multiple chances at sinking putts. He further advised against pushing too hard, as that could lead to difficulties, acknowledging that despite the low scores, golf remains a challenging sport. He concluded by reiterating the necessity of maintaining good positioning to create opportunities.
For the individual recognized four times as the PGA Tour Player of the Year, the season’s commencement was exceptionally strong. After securing birdies on his initial two holes, a par on the third hole was unusual for his first nine, as he added three more birdies between holes four and six. Across these opening nine holes, Scheffler recorded six 3s compared to only three 4s, finishing the front nine with a score of 30.
Scheffler consistently struck the ball cleanly with his irons on the latter half of the course, despite a minor issue with his driver. Even when errant, his shots typically landed in advantageous areas, allowing him to reach every green in regulation until the par-4 17th. There, in a move characteristic of his play, he holed out from off the green for a birdie.
Scheffler remarked on the necessity of maintaining a competitive speed in the game. He explained that a primary challenge in courses demanding very low scores is the finite number of strokes one can go under par per round. He contrasted this with more difficult courses where a few players might achieve exceptionally low scores daily. In easier competitions, where scores are extremely low, he noted that falling behind makes it significantly harder to catch up, emphasizing the need to stay competitive.
On Friday, Scheffler is scheduled to compete at the Nicklaus Tournament Course, the venue where most of the leading players competed on Thursday. Although both La Quinta Country Club and the Nicklaus Tournament Course saw average scores below 4 and 5 strokes under par, respectively, the Stadium Course presented the most significant challenge to the golfers.
Jason Day demonstrated his capability to conquer the Stadium Course in the opening round, with the Australian completing his play with a 63, nine strokes under par. This performance places him at the forefront of the competition in terms of strokes gained, with two more rounds offering chances for birdies.
Leaders
T1. Min Woo Lee, Pierceson Coody (-10): Following his triumph in Houston the previous season, Lee experienced a dip in form but rebounded strongly towards the close of last year with a string of impressive performances back in Australia. His excellent form from home seamlessly transitioned into the first round of the current year, as the dynamic Australian secured ten birdies without any bogeys on Thursday. Lee attributed his initial success to a minor adjustment he made to his grip during the offseason, strengthening his left hand’s position.
Lee expressed that he felt somewhat nervous at the start, noting that it was the year’s first round and involved a swing modification – or rather, an aspect they had been refining during the offseason. Consequently, he was uncertain about how it would unfold. He concluded by stating that it turned out to be an excellent day for scoring birdies.
Contenders
T3. Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre, Si Woo Kim, S.H. Lee, Vince Whaley, Matt McCarty, Ben Griffin, Jason Day, Patrick Cantlay (-9)
T12. Billy Horschel, Sam Stevens, Jordan Smith, Matthieu Pavon, Andrew Novak, Tom Hoge, Eric Cole, Jacob Bridgeman (-8)
MacIntyre exhibited considerable dissatisfaction with his performance midway through the preceding week’s Sony Open, going so far as to break his putter over his knee before approaching the weekend with a renewed mindset. On Sunday, he delivered the day’s lowest score, with the left-handed golfer observing that his wedge game had finally improved (assisted, naturally, by the new putter). During Thursday’s play at the Nicklaus Tournament Course, he showcased exceptional precision with these same clubs, resulting in ten birdies on his card against only a single dropped shot, which occurred on the par-5 15th.
MacIntyre mentioned that he had been working on increasing his swing speed to achieve slightly greater distance off the tee, aiming for about a six-yard gain, which he believed he had accomplished. Beyond that, he emphasized the critical need to perfect his wedge play, as he felt he wasn’t placing the ball close enough to the hole with his wedges. He reasoned that for a skilled putter like himself, proximity to the hole directly translates to better chances, a universal truth in golf. He concluded by stating that his wedge performance both today and last week showed very promising indications.
No rest for the weary
Consider the rarity of playing golf for eight consecutive days, let alone eight continuous days of competitive golf. Blades Brown is currently experiencing such a streak, having just completed a top-20 performance on the Korn Ferry Tour in the Bahamas. He then boarded a private aircraft—a perk earned from his top-20 finish in Myrtle Beach the previous year—to ensure he made his scheduled tee time in Palm Springs.
Brown initiated his round with an immaculate 67, free of bogeys, at La Quinta Country Club. This was achieved in weather conditions starkly contrasting those in the Bahamas, where strong winds persisted throughout the week, whereas Thursday at the American Express was entirely calm.
Brown recounted that after completing his round, he swiftly showered and proceeded to the airport, where he then boarded a substantial OneFlight jet. He mentioned that Ferren Rajput graciously accompanied him on the journey, describing the six-hour flight as fantastic, possibly on Rajput’s personal jet. This marked only his second experience flying privately.
He detailed his arrival in Palm Springs around 8 p.m. the previous evening, where he picked up some Panda Express and groceries before sleeping from 10 p.m. He awoke around 5 a.m., arriving early to practice putting. He highlighted the dramatic shift in weather, noting that winds had been at 30 mph throughout his journey, only to find perfect conditions upon arrival. Despite these contrasting circumstances, he greatly enjoyed his day and was very pleased with his bogey-free round.
2025 American Express updated odds, picks
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
- Scottie Scheffler: +185
- Jason Day: +1000
- Ben Griffin: +1100
- Robert MacIntyre: +1400
- Patrick Cantlay: +1600
- Min Woo Lee: +1700
- Si Woo Kim: +1800
- Pierceson Coody: +2000
This competition remains highly unpredictable, even with Scheffler’s strong showing and Day’s impressive performance on the Stadium Course. My confidence remains high for Cantlay and McCarty, both of whom delivered excellent initial rounds. Should there be an additional player to consider, it could be Kim, a past champion of this event, who appears to have renewed confidence with his putter following a disappointing outing in Hawaii and whose ball-striking might be as sharp as anyone’s, aside from Scheffler.
